After a winter of reading rulebooks, casebooks and all the posts, and attending an ASA umpire school (Baltimore area)as well as the local clinics, and cleaning up the gear and buying a couple of new things and... I just want to play. High school is supposed to start this week but I stepped on a local field this morning and the prospects are not good. This is the one time of year I envy you guys in the South. But patience, they say, is a virtue.

Salt in Your Wounds
 

Not to rub Salt in Your wounds but out here in Norcal we have been playing for a solid two weeks. I have had Jv/Var games and also did two seperate tourneys this weekend . One varsity and one JV. 1st yr umping and having a blast but struggling with the low outside strike. i even got to explain OBS, or lack of OBS, to a local coach/God and he agreed with my INTERP. So that was way cool.

I'm also norcal .. had tourny this w/e and varsity games most days this week.

Check into a few different assoc's/leagues. Once your name is out there, the phone wont stop ringing.

First high school scrimmage this weekend. (dome ball).

I have 4 games.

No pay, just play.

Can't wait.

Surprised myself yesterday. Stopped by to watch a couple of innings of local JV action and got asked to do bases to help out a fellow blue. It felt great. Cold (40 degrees with wind) but great. Then I got home and my assigner called and gave me 8 games in the next week and a half.

Life is good.

I was there too. I am the guy who drove down to Baltimore in a snow storm on Friday, and left Monday morning just ahead of the next snow storm (in Baltimore??? snow???). I was in Group Two in the gym.

BTW, it is 39 deg/F outside with about 8-10 inches of snow on the ground. Rumor has it that we may get more $@#&%%@# snow this weekend. First games are about 45 days away.......

So stop sulking... I can, but you can't.

8^)

MA Softball Ump,

Are you the guy they were refering to as " the judge"? I don't rememember the group # but I was with Bernie on day 1 and Bob on day 2. And I was the guy who left at lunch on day 1 to watch my son at the state regional wrestling tourney. Bernie was what I was looking for in the clinic. Serious but with a sense of humor.

And your right. If I'm getting on the field I can stop complaining.